Newbury apple tree pruning day this Sunday

Volunteers encouraged to bring along secateurs

A COMMUNITY apple tree pruning day will be held in Newbury on Sunday.

Volunteers are asked to take their secateurs, learn some new skills with the onsite experts and help with the pruning at Barn Crescent community orchard.

The orchard is located off Elizabeth Road just before Barn Crescent on the way south out of Newbury. There is a pathway to the site from Elizabeth Road which leads past the electronic substation, with another path off Barn Crescent itself.

The event, which is being put on by Newbury in Bloom along with Growing Newbury Green, will take place from 10am to 2pm.

The pruning is beneficial for several reasons, including removing diseased or damaged limbs, maintaining a controlled height from which fruit may be more easily picked, developing a strong structure for fruit production and encouraging new limbs.

Green Spaces Working Group chairman Jon Gage said: “You don’t have to have any experience in pruning, as Growing Newbury Green are experts and can show you what needs to be done to ensure the trees continue to bear fruit.

“These edible crops are available for anyone in the community to harvest.”

Growing Newbury Green spokesman Tony Hammond said: “Our community orchards are very popular and it’s great to see more and more volunteers coming along to help out.

“Pruning apple trees is essential to the overall health of the tree.”